Pillar bracket attachment



Dec. 14, 1965 v. M. JAFELICE 3,

PILLAR BRACKET ATTACHMENT Filed July 1, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

q/wwmjwpw Dec. 14, 1965 v. M. JAFELICE PILLAR BRACKET ATTACHMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 1, 1963 INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,223,467 PILLAR BRACKET ATTACHMENT Victor M. .Iafelice, 15 Kuhl Ave., Islington, Ontario, Canada Filed July 1, 1963, Ser. No. 291,933 4 Claims. (Cl. 312-253) This invention relates to improvements in means for providing supports for working areas such as tables, counters and the like.

It is quite conventional in the provision of work benches and the like in home basements to have such tables and benches free standing, that is, supported entirely on attached legs. In some instances, however, the work bench or other table is secured along one wall of a basement room in order to add extra stiffness and support.

It has been found by the practice of the present invention that vertical pillars or posts may be conveniently utilized to provide support for a working or stor age area, whereby all sides of such a working area are accessible. It is contemplated that the steel or iron pipe type of post may be employed as a table support since this type of pillar is in widespread common use in basements.

Accordingly it is the object of the present invention to provide a pillar bracket which is adapted to support a working surface thereon in cooperation with a vertical pillar.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a pillar bracket for the support of working and storage areas, said areas being readily removable from said bracket for storage purposes.

'1' he invention seeks to accomplish these and other objects and features, such as will be apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, by the provision of a U-shaped clamp fitting about a vertical pillar and including extending arms together with a transverse beam secured to said U-shaped bracket, the bracket being adjustably positioned on said pillar.

in the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of one preferred embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective, part cutaway section of the table and insert illustrated in FIG. 1 showing particularly the spring loaded locking device.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective, part cutaway section of a side jaw of the U-shaped clamp illustrated in FIG. 1 showing particularly one eccentric cam and its clamping handle as a suggested alternate method of securin the clamp to the pillar.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a table attached to a pillar, with the insert withdrawn and showing a particu lar configuration of shelves and cabinet attached to the insert.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective part cutaway section of the table and insert showing an alternate method of attaching the insert to the table.

Having reference to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a pillar bracket indicated generally as 11 and comprises a U-shaped clamp indicated as 12 having side jaws 13 and 14 disposed about a vertically positioned pillar 15 shown in phantom.

Jaws 13 and 14 are provided with set screws 16 and 17 respectively whereby screws 16 and 17 may be tightened down on to pillar 15. It will be understood that although set screws 16 and 17 are illustrated, other means may be employed in order to secure clamp 12 to pillar 15.

Referring to FIG. 3, a suggested alternate method of securing clamp 12 to pillar 15 is by means of eccentric cams 18 fitted into slots cut out of both jaws 13 and 14 and operated by means of clamping handles 19 afiixed to said cams 18. When said handles 19 are pulled down, the larger radius side of the eccentric cams 18 are moved into firm contact with the outer circumference of the pillar 15, thus securing clamp 12 in the desired position with respect to pillar 15. The clamp 12 can easily be released by pushing said handles 19, when because of the configuration of the eccentric cams 18, pressure by said eccentric cams 18 against the pillar 15 is removed.

Referring again to FIG. 1, a pair of side arms 20 and 21 extend horizontally from clamp 12 and are provided with a dovetail slot indicated as 22 along outer face thereof. Slot 22 is adapted to receive a dovetail slide 23 to which a unit 24 may be secured. It is to be further understood that unit 24 may be of any conventional or special design depending upon the use for which it is intended.

A track support beam 25 is secured to the open end of clamp 12 in this preferred embodiment by means of screws 26 and 27. The track support beam 25 is provided with a dovetail slot 28 which extends substantially the length thereof and has the same purpose as slot 22, that is to receive a dovetail slide secured to a desirable type of shelving or storage compartment.

In this preferred embodiment, bracket 11 also supports a table surface that has a short apron indicated as 29a fitted to its outer edges and extending downwardly at right angles to the surface of the table. Table surface 29 also has a cut out indicated as 30 whereby said table surface 29 may be rotatably disposed about pillar 15. It is preferable to provide a table insert 31 for table 29 that has an apron 31a fitted to its outer edge and extending downwardly at right angles to the surface of the table insert 31 the same distance as that of apron 29a so that a continuity of apron is provided when the table insert 31 is fitted to table 29. Table insert 31 has a curved end 32 which is adapted to fit about post or pillar 15 and is provided with tongues 33 and 34 which are adapted to fit in groove 35 in table 29. In order to hold the table 29 and the table insert 31 firmly together and to obviate the possibility of the table 29 and insert 31 sliding apart because of stresses and strains that may be encountered under certain conditions of usage, a spring loaded locking device 36 is incorporated as part of this preferred embodiment. Referring to FIG. 2, the locking device 36 which is conventionally attached to the lower surface of the insert 31 consists of a metal arm 37 pivotably fitted to the mounting bracket 38 and having at its outer end a release handle 39 extending downwards at substantially right angles to the metal arm 37. The inner end of the arm 37 is offset and formed in the shape of a catch 40 that will ride against the lower surface of the table 29, and will fall into a matching groove 41 when table insert 31 is at the end of its travel. The catch 49 is held firmly in place by means of a fiat metal spring 42 that is fitted to the upper side of the outer end of the metal arm 37, locking the table 29 and insert 31 in position. The locking device 36 is easily released by moving the release handle 39 against the pressure of the spring 42 until the catch 40 is forced out of the matching groove 41.

Again it is understood that various types of table surfaces may be employed, table surface 29 being illustrated by way of example only.

In use clamp 12 can be positioned on pillar 15, the vertical height of clamp 12 being adjusted to accommodate the desired table height, whereafter set screws 16 and 17 may be tightened to engage frictionally on pillar 15 to hold clamp 12 in place. Track support beam 25 may thereafter be secured in place by means of screws 26 and 27 at which time the completed pillar bracket 11 is ready to receive the types of table surfaces or other storage compartments as required.

It will be seen that dovetail slide 23 may be secured to different types of cupboards and storage areas, the slide 23 being readily inserted in one of the dovetail slots 22 and 28. Table surface 29 may then be positioned about pillar 15 and on top of bracket 11 whereafter insert 31 may be installed to complete surface 29.

FIG. 4 illustrates a particular embodiment of this in vention utilizing the pillar bracket 11 and pillar 15 for support, and shows shelves and cabinet 43 attached to the table insert 31, being slid into position on the table 29 to form a complete working and storage area.

FIG. illustrates an alternate method of attaching the table insert 31 to the table 29. Table 29 has a guide runner 44 and spacer 44a extending longitudinally on either side of the cutout 30 and secured to the lower surface of said table 29. The guide runners 44 and spacer 44a extend from the outer edge of the table 29 approximately half the length of the cutout 39. The locking device 36 is attached to the lower surface of the flange 45 and is operated in a similar manner to that described in the tongue and groove configuration of table 29 and insert 31.

In another embodiment of this invention it was desired to have a home liquor bar in a basement recreation room the room having a vertical post or pillar such as steel pillar therein. A clamp substantially as shown in the illustrations was provided on a vertical pillar whereafter suitable storage compartments and shelving were fitted into the dovetail slots and a bar counter surface was then installed on top of bracket 11. This then provided a convenient area which was accessible from all sides and in addition could be dismantled and stored if so desired.

It will be understood that the design of the bracket as illustrated in the illustrations is a preferred embodiment only and that other means of providing clamp 12 are contemplated, thus the clamp 12 may be made into halves, that is to say, a portion of the clamp on arms and another portion of the track support beam 25, the two halves placed in cooperative relationship one with the other whereby suitable set screws may be employed to clamp the bracket to post 15.

It will be further understood that although a preferred embodiment of this invention has herein been described and illustrated that the invention also contemplates such variations in design as may fall within the scope of the following claims.

The embodiments of this invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A pillar bracket for the support of working and storage areas and comprising; a U-clamp for fitting about a vertical pillar; side arms extending horizontally from the closed end of said clamp; a track support beam located across the open end of said clamp; means for securing said beam to said clamp about said pillar; means for securing said clamp to said pillar; and dovetail slots in said arms and said beam.

2. A pillar bracket for the support of working and storage areas and comprising; a U-clamp for fitting about a vertical pillar; side arms extending horizontally from the closed end of said clamp; 21 track support beam located across the open end of said clamp; dovetail slots in said arms and said beam; means for securing said beam to said clamp about said pillar; and a counter surface supported by said bracket and including a covered slot therein for fitting about said pillar.

3. A pillar bracket for the support of working and storage areas and comprising; a U-clamp for fitting about a vertical pillar; side arms extending horizontally from the closed end of said clamp; a track support beam located across the open end of said clamp; dovetail slots in said arms and said beam; means for securing said beam to said clamp about said pillar; means for securing said clamp to said pillar; a counter surface supported by said bracket and including a covered slot therein for fitting about said pillar; and cupboards slidably positioned in said slot whereby said bracket supports said cupboards.

4. A pillar bracket for the support of working and storage areas and comprising; a U-clamp adjustably positioned vertically on a pillar; side arms extending horizontally from the closed end of said clamp; a track support beam located across the open end of said clamp; dovetail slots in said arms and said beam; means for securing said beam to said clamp about said pillar; and means for securing said clamp to said pillar.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,3 84,520 7/1921 Ditson 248-23O 1,798,572 3/1931 Welton 24823O X 2,036,483 4/1936 Lawrence 248230 X 2,156,025 4/1939 Paul 248-230 3,016,225 1/1962 Hughes et al 248230 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, FRANK B. SHERRY, Examiners. 

3. A PILLAR BRACKET FOR THE SUPPORT OF WORKING AND STORAGE AREAS AND COMPRISING; A U-CLAMP FOR FITTING ABOUT A VERTICAL PILLAR; SIDE ARMS EXTENDING HORIZONTALLY FROM THE CLOSED END OF SAID CLAMP; A TRACK SUPPORT BEAM LOCATED ACROSS THE OPEN END OF SAID CLAMP; DOVETAIL SLOTS IN SAID ARMS AND SAID BEAM; MEANS FOR SECURING SAID BEAM TO SAID CLAMP ABOUT SAID PILLAR; MEANS FOR SECURING SAID CLAMP TO SAID PILLAR; A COUNTER SURFACE SUPPORTED BY SAID BRACKET AND INCLUDING A COVERED SLOT THEREIN FOR FITTING ABOUT SAID PILLAR, AND CUPBOARDS SLIDABLY POSITIONED IN SAID SLOT WHEREBY SAID BRACKET SUPPORTS SAID CUPBOARDS. 